Boston Police add ice-cream to their arsenal

  • 02/08/2016
Instead of handing out tickets, Boston Police will be handing out sweet treats (Boston Police / Twitter)
Instead of handing out tickets, Boston Police will be handing out sweet treats (Boston Police / Twitter)

For most police departments, they live by the motto 'Protect and Serve', but for one Boston police vehicle that can be extended to 'Protect and Serve ice-cream'.

The department's just unveiled their upgraded ice-cream van, which they use to connect with the city's youth in their ongoing Operation Hoodsie Cup community policing programme.

 

Since the programme started in 2010, police have handed out more than 120,000 small cups of ice-cream to children.

Boston Police Commissioner William Evans says the idea the force would have its own ice-cream truck would've been unthinkable in the past.

"But, I absolutely love the new truck and everything this program represents," he says.

 

"The good will it generates between my officers and our city's young people is undeniable and nothing short of remarkable and my only regret is that I wish we had started doing this 30 years ago."

For its unveiling, the unlikely addition to the police fleet was adorned with balloons and handed out even more ice-cream to children at the Tobin Community Centre.

 

The truck was bought by the Boston Police Foundation and will be driven by community service officers.

The police also plan to use the truck during the National Night Out stops - a programme to help bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community to help reduce crime.

Newshub.